The use of specialized equipment and various mechanical apparatuses for strengthening muscles is well known. Moreover, the desirability of providing a device which is capable of isolating and developing a specifically targeted muscle, one of the most common of which is the bicep, has also been long recognized.
However, one of the most troublesome problems presented with providing a device that can isolate and fully develop a muscle, such as the bicep, is that any sort of gripping and grasping action with the hand automatically employs the conjunctive muscles of the arm, including the forearm, tricep and deltoid. The same problem is encountered for the exercise and strengthening of other muscles in the body.
Unfortunately, each of the apparatuses and devices resorted to in the prior art for developing a specifically targeted muscle, such as the bicep, provide for some sort of handle which must be gripped and/or grasped by the user thereof. Examples of these devices are enumerated as follows:
______________________________________ Inventor(s) Patent No. Year Issued ______________________________________ Fisher 259,752 1882 Heydrick D 26,418 1896 Sandow 654,097 1900 Duffner 714,463 1902 Sandow 1,229,658 1917 Calvert 1,316,683 1919 Ferris 1,749,632 1930 Smith 1,918,142 1933 Winer 3,231,270 1966 Sun D 215,057 1969 Collins, Jr. et al D 221,874 1971 Li D 223,843 1972 Stamm D 242,865 1976 Wright D 244,628 1977 Wright D 244,629 1977 Wright 4,029,312 1977 Shin D 264,625 1982 Baroi 4,361,324 1982 Wright D 267,737 1983 Giordano D 268,437 1983 Anderson D 273,030 1984 Wright D 274,283 1984 Schwartz 4,627,618 1986 Jenison 4,695,051 1987. ______________________________________
This gripping and/or grasping action required by each of these devices is a definite disadvantage, since it involves the use of conjunctive muscles which prevents isolation required for the total development of the targeted muscle.
More specifically, every piece of exercise equipment or mechanical apparatus heretofore resorted to in the prior art invariably contains one common detractive denominator inherent within its design. Whatever else is intended--whether barbell, dumbbell, or one of the various exercise machines designed for total fitness--there exists some sort of handle which must be grasped in order to use the device. Quite clearly, one must hold onto a handle to make the device work. This action of holding the handle automatically and necessarily employs the conjunctive (adjoining) muscles. Such "helper" muscles actually take away from the isolation required for full development of any specifically targeted muscle.
This detractive denominator occurs because of the physiological structure of the human body. A precise interface of cardiovascular, neural-nervous system, respiratory, and muscular function is adequate to carry the average person through their normal daily activity. However, this interface is simply not sufficient to create an above average (or dynamic) physique. Combined with the time constraints that typically discourage regular exercise, the obvious result is a rather large population group composed of "ordinary" (somewhat less than splendidly developed) individuals.
In said U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,669, the inventors disclosed an exercising device which an individual can utilize and manipulate without the necessity of grasping. In this device, weights and fillers are disposed in a casing having a constant outer diameter (O.D.). The ratio of weights to fillers is varied for varying the weight of the device. The weight casing is housed in a housing which includes a pair of body portions that are joined together by a keying means. The keying means includes an arcuate rib which is formed on the peripheral edge of each of the body portions and which mates with one another when the body portions are bought together. Thereafter, the peripheral edges are glued, ultrasonically welded or otherwise integrally joined.
While successfully providing a device which may be manipulated without grasping, this device can be improved on by providing better and easier access to the weights, so that they may be changed or selectively varied, as desired. Additionally, it would be further advantageous to provide a weight means that eliminates a substantial portion of the weights and/or fillers which are needed and which are readily subject to being lost. Finally, it would be further advantageous to provide such a weight means that is not subject to shifting during the use thereof.
While a significantly improved exercise device has been disclosed, further improvements can be made by providing a more secure and comfortable cushion means for the hand in the device. This cushion means may be removable for cleaning and replacement. Additional improvements relate to the tongue and groove configuration to mate the housing portions and to providing covers for the cap screws.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there remains a need for an exercise device for strengthening a user's targeted muscle; wherein the device is capable of being utilized by the user, such that a forceful grip is not required by the user; and wherein the necessity for employing the user's conjunctive adjoining muscles is substantially reduced, thereby substantially reducing the tendency to detract from the development of the user's targeted muscle, wherein the body portions thereof are formed so as to be readily separable, so as to provide access to the weights disposed therein, wherein only one weight is utilized at a time without the need of fillers, which is not capable of shifting during use thereof, and wherein a comfortable removable rest for the user's hand is provided in the device.